Automotive gearshift indicator



Bday 8, 15h45.

F. B. HOWELL AUTOMOTIVEGEAR .SHIFT INDICATOR Filed Jun'e 1, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y ffweli May 8, 1945- F. B. HOWELL AUTOMOTIVE GEAR S-HIFT INDICATOR s shets-sneet 2 Filed June `l, 1942 SWW LBHUWQZZ May 8, 1945- l y F. B. HOWELL 2,375,654

AUTOMOTIVE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR Filed June 1, 1942 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3/ QE //,/74 52: f7.9 w

gruwel/wko@ mission.

Patented May 1945 AU'roMorrrvE GEARsmF'r mnrca'ron Frederic B. Howell, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Application Juno `1, 1942, serial No. 445,341 s cioims. (ci. 177-311). y

j .This invention relates to an indicator for indicating the gear positions of an automatic trans- An object of this inventionis to provide an electrically operated signal and indicator assembly for connection with an automatic transmission which will notonly give an indication as t the gear ratio or assembly which is in operation,

Vbut will also give an indication as totime for changing the gears.

In automatic vehicle transmissions 'at present in use, while the operator of the vehicle is relieved of the necessity of manually shifting geara'such transmissions incorporate means under the manual control of the operator, whereby the gear change may be effected after the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed. The physical change of gears is effected automatically and in most instances the character of the gears is such that they are substantially noiseless. Insetting up the automatic gear change mechanism in cer tain instances, this is accomplished at a predetermined vehicle speed by the operator releasing the throttle pedal for a moment and subsequently depressing this pedal. One of the faults of this system is that the operator either releases and depresses the throttle pedal `too quicklyr and beforethe automatic changing -mechanismis effective, or holds the throttle pedal in released position for a period in which the vehicle speed is reduced to a point where the gear change cannot be effected.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the operator,

under conditions of this kind, frequ ntly assumes vthat the proper gear change h' s been automatic'ally m de, whereas actually the ge'arfcliange has not been made, and the subsequent operation of the vehicle is made under'improper gear con ditions and uneconomically as to engine operation. It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide an electrically operated inf dicator and signal assembly which will apprise the, operator of the exact gear condition both'as to meshed gears amd as to theposslbility of effecting a. change in the gears.

operation and which will not unduly drain the 'electric current from the battery.

A further object of this invention is lto provide. a device of this kind in which the indicator andsignal structure may be mounted at any desired point in the vehicl', :such .as on the'dashboard, steering column 4,or otherJ point visible" to the driver of the vehicles'.

To the foregoing objects and to others which `may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modications may be resorted to whichfall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of an automatic transmission showing diagrammatically a signal device connected therewith for indicating the shifting operation oi' theautomatic trans- 'mission, Figure 2 is a detail front elevation of the signal structure with the front removed therefrom,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 o1' Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line .4`-4ofFlgure3 Figure 5 `is a vertical section taken through the switch which is mounted on the transmission and 2l connected lto the signal device,

Figure 6 is a detail front velevation ofthe front cover of the signal housing,

Figure '1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 'I-l of Figure 4, Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 4, and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electric lcircuits embodiedin-this invention. Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 sodesignates generally an automatic transmission which is provided with automatic, means for effecting a' shifting of the gearing, which shifting operation is eiected by release and subsequent depression' of the accelerator pedal of the motor 0 vehicle: g- The transmission I0 is provided with a rock shaft Il which constitutes the gear shifting.

Asbarcano which hasseouredthereto a depending lever yI2 formed with an arcuate head I3 at the lower end thereof.- The lever l2 is rocked rearw15 wardly or'to the left under the' action of an inner A further object of this invention is to provide a structure of this kind which is economical in spring in the transmission I0 and is held against rearward rocking by a vacuum-operated shiifter rodi4 which'is connected with a vacuumfoperator l5 secured to one side of the Ahousing i0. The

movement of the shifter rod I 4. is controlled by 55 held against-rearward movement fand thereby.

y when the vehicle attains a predetermined speed,

the operator of the vehicle releases the accelerator pedal, and this release oi the accelerator `pedal will permit the vacuum, operator l to shift the rod i4 and the lever i2. The shifting operation is effected rather quickly and if the operator of the vehicle permits the accelerator lpedal to remain in its released position `for too long a period, the speed of the vehicle will be reduced to such a point whereby the centrifugal switch i3 will be moved to a closed position and the solenoid i6 will be activev to cut ofi the vacuum connection between the engine and the vacuum operator i5 thereby preventing shifting of the rod M by the operator 5. Under another condition if the operator 4of the vehicle does not leave the accelerato-r pedal in a released position fora sumciently long period ottime, the operator i5 will be unable to effect a shifting of the rod Ul and consequent rocking of the shifting lever i2. It will, therefore, be apparent that the operator of the vehicle will not be able to determine visibly in what gear ratio the transmission i6 is operating and frequently the transmission i is operating at an undesired gear ratio.

In order therefore to provide a means whereby the operator of the vehicle maydetermine the.

exact moment at which the accelerator pedal may be released and subsequently depressed tov eiect the completion of the gear shifting operation, I have provided an electrically operated signal structure generally designated as 2| which is adapted to be positioned remote from the transmission ID, and preferably mounted on the dashboard, steering column or any other suitable position convenient to the sight of the vehicle operator.

The signal structure 2l includes a housing formed with a bottom wall 22, opposite' side walls 23, a rear wall 24-a hinged top wall 25 and a removable front wall 26. The side walls 23 are formed with outwardly projecting ears 21 formed with openingsl through which fastening devices 29 are adapted to be extended for securing the housing 2| on a support', such as a dashboard 30. The front wall 26 is also formed with a pair of ears l3| having buttonhole slots 32 therein so that the front wall 26 may be removed bymerely loosening the fastening members 29 and then raising the wall 26 to the large portion of the buttonhole slot 32.

The housing 2| has mounted therein an electro-magnetic coil 33 which is secured to an L- shaped bracket 34 fixed by fastening members 35 to the rear wall 24. An armature 36 is mounted on a longitudinally arcuate signal carrier 31 which is pivoted as at 36 to the rear` wall.2 4.

The carrier 31 has secured ,to the forward 'end portion thereof a substantially rectangular frame 39 which is U-shaped in transverse section and which has mounted therein a translucent panel 40 formed with characters 4I and 42. The character 4I is in the form of the letter H indicating high, and the character 42 is in the form 'wrtlmty is present for one side of the transmission lil.

of the letter L indicating low, so that when one of the characters 4i or 2 is disposed in registry with a window 43 formed in the iront wall 26, the operator of the vehicle will know that the opeiecting a shifting of the transmission to the gearing indicated by the characters 4i and d2.

The window 43 has a transparent, panel 44 secured thereacross, the panel t4 beingmounted in a frame 45 which is fixed to the outer side of the front wall 26. The coil 33 is adapted to be connected across the terminals 16 and 11 of the solenoid i6 by means of a pair of conductors 18 and 19. In this manner, when the solenoid is energized by the closing of the centrifugal switch i6, the coil 33 will also be energized and the carrier 31 will be raised to bring the character L in registry with the window d3.

The housing 2i also has mounted therein a second electro-magnetic coil 61 and an armature 68 is mounted on a carrier il@ which `is pivoted as at 'Fil to the rear wall Zi of the housing 2|. The forward end of the carrier 63 has secured thereto a rectangular frame 1i in which is mounted a translucent signal panel 12. The panel 12 has the words High and Low positioned thereon for registry with a window 13 which is formed in the lower portion o'f the front wall 26. A transparent panel 1d is mounted in the frame 15 secured to the front wall 26, and when the carrier 63 is in the lowermost position with the coil 51 cie-energized, the word High will be in registry with the window 13. When the coil 61 is energized the armature 66 will be drawn upwardly thereby raising the carrier 69 and disposing the word Low in registry with the window 13. One side of the coil 61 is grounded and the other side is connected by means of a conductor i6 to a switch structure 41 mounted on The switch structure 41 includes a box-like housing 48 which has a flange 49 secured by fastening 'members 50 to the transmission l il.

The rock shaft 5l is rockably mounted in the housing 48 and has fixed thereto a cam-shaped switch operator 52 which is adapted to contact with a resilient movable switch member 53. The

switch member 53 is secured by means of a fastening device 54 to a terminal 55 and an insulated plate 56 is interposed between the xed end of the switch member 53 and the adjacent wall 51 of the housing 48. A stationary contact 58 is disposed in a position for engagement with the switch member 53 when the member 53 is rocked forwardly by the cam operator 52 and the contact 58 is-secured to a termnal'59 extended through the wall 51 of the khousing 48.

. lever 63 which is connected by means of a link 64 to an upwardly extending lever extension 6 5. The lever extension 65 is xed to the boss 66 of the lever l2 and extends oppositely from the lever I2 so that rockingof the lever I2 in one direction l will effect rocking of the lever 63 to thereby move the switch member 53fto a circuit closing position.'

Asocket is mountedwithin the housing 2l rearwardly of the windows 43 and 13 and has a light bulb 6| mounted therein, the` light bulb 6I being preferably connected through the conductor 82 to the lighting circuit of the vehicle.l One side of the light bulb 8 I may be grounded through the housing 2|. I f y In order to provide a means whereby the front wall 26 may be additionally secured to the panel 30 and in order to provide'a trim about the mar.-

. centrifugal switch I9 ginal portions of the front wall 26, I have pro- `vided a bezel or'substantially rectangular frame 82 which is formed ovith a pairvof resilient tangs or clips 83 for engagement in openings 84 formed in the panel 30. The bezel or trim 82 is adapted to cover the fastening members 29 and the bezel 82 as shown in Figure 4, is of transversely arcuate conguration forming an arcuate ybeading about themarginal portions of the front wall 26.

lIn the use and operation of this signal structure, the housing 2| is adapted to be mounted at the desired location within the vehicle, preferably, on the dashboard and the conductors 46, 18 and 19 `are adapted to be connected to the switch 41 and thesolenoid 1 6.

When theignition switch 62 is in the Off orV open position, the sig'nal structure is inoperative. When'the ignition switch 62 is closed and during the initial movement of the vehicle the centrifugal switch i9 will be closed and the two conductors 16 and 19 which bridge the solenoid I6 will cause the relay 33 to be energized, thereby raising the amature 36 and bringing the lower portion of the translucent signal panel 40 intore'gistery with the window 43 and the character L designating` v Low will be exposed through the window 43.

At the same time, the switch 41 will be in closed position and will cause the relay B1 to be energized through the conductor 46, thereby raising .the armature 68 and bringing the lower portion of the translucent signal panel 12 4into registry with the window 13.' The lower portion of the signal panel .1'2 carries the word Low which at this time will be exposed through the window 13.

'I'he driver of the vehicle by looking at the window 13 will know that the transmission is operating in one of two manually selected low gear ratios. After the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed, the solenoid I6 will become de-energ/ized by breaking of the electric circuit' thereto from the centrifugal switch I9. This will break the circuit through the relay 33 and permit the carrier 31 to drop downwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, thereby exposing the character H through the window 43.

' The operator ofthe vehicle will thereupon be given notice that the transmission l is in an operating position whereby the accelerator pedal may be released so as to thereby eilect a change to a higher gear ratio of the transmission by means, V7of the internal mechanism forming a conventional part of the transmission. Whenl the driver of thel vehicle thereupon releases the accelerator pedal, the vacuum operator I will elect movement to the left of the shiftinglever locking member transmission IB will be able to rock the shaft H clockwise and' effect the shifting of the transmi`ssion to the higher gear ratio. -The rocking of the shaft mit the switch member 53 tov move to a released position with respect to the contact 58. This will 'break the circuit to the relay 61 and permit the .carrier 69 to drop downwardly to the position shown Yin Figure 3 and expose the-'word High 'on the translucent panel 12 through the window 13. The driver of the vehicle will thereupon know by glancing at the-window 13 that the transmission Ii! is operating in the selected higher gear ratio. i

I I Vclockwise will per- I4 so that the internal mechanism of the the panel 40 and the s the driver should perform the normal In the event in the shifting eration of the accelerator pedal, the' speed of the vehicle should lessen to a degree' whereby the should again close the electric circuit to the solenoidl I6, the relay 33 would be immediately energized and the carrier 31 raised bringinginto view the characterflli carried by l driver of the vehicle would be given notice that notwithstanding the fact that operations with the accelerator pedal to effect a gear change to a higher "gear ratio theselected gear change would not be effected.

In the event the gear change was not effected, the driver of the vehicle would have to operate the vehicle at a substantially increased speed to cause the centrifugal switch I9 to breakthe electric circuit to the solenoid I6, whereupon the driver would have to go through the normal gear changing operation which is regulated by the ac- 'celerator pedal. The vrelays used in the signal structure hereinbefore described are of low battery drain so their operation will not require any additional electic current sufficient to increase the size of the battery or the amount of current normally flowing into or through the battery.

normally contact thebottom wall 22 of -the housing. When the coils 33 and'61 are de-energized, the springs 85 'and 81 will lower the arms 31 and 69, respectively, and an audible click will be sounded to tiereby give audible notice to the driver that the-gear change has' been effected. The transparents/or translucent panels 40 and 12 may be provided with differentvcolored upper and lowei` portions so that the driver. will know by the color of the exposed portion of a panel the exact gear changing condition.

The electrically operated signal structure hereinbefore described is an improvement over the mechanically operated signal structure which Ais embodied in my co-pending application Serial =Number 4105,116, led September 28, 1941,

Patent Number 2,324,396.

What I claim is:

1. A gear shift indicator for connection withV a 'transmission having a movable gear changing element,

housing remote. froin saidV transmission, a rockableV signal carrier in said housing, a window in said housing for exposing indicia onsaid signal carrier positioned in registry with window, an

electromagnetic "operator `for said carrier in said eter and 'return of carrier to the initial position giving a visible indication of a vsecond gear posiA tion, and striking of. said Vcarrier against the core of said electromagnetic operator in one direction and against the'bottom of said housing of the gea'il by op-V saidindicator 'comprising a signalv and mechanical means correlatin the other direction giving an audible indication that a change of gears has taken place.

2. In an automatically shiftable transmission having a manually actuated means for controlling the automatic shifting, said manually actuated means being effective or non-elective in accordance with the vehicle speed, and an electrically operated regulator means for governing the change from said eective to said non-effective stage; a rockable signal carrier, an electromagnetic operator for said carrier, and conduetors connecting said operator with said regulating means for energizing said operator simultaneously with said regulating means; energizing of said operator causing movement of said carrier in one direction and giving a visible indication of said non-effective stage, deenergizing of said operator allowing return of said carrier to initial position and giving a separate visible indication oi said effective stage, and striking of carrier against core of said electromagnetic operator in one direction and against a step provided in the other direction producing an audible indication that a change has occurred in said regulating means.

3. In an automatically shiftable transmission provided with manually actuated means for controlling the automatic shifting operation, said manually actuated means being eiective or noneective in accordance with the vehicle speed; a gear shift indicator comprising a combination of asingle electrically operated signal unit connected with said transmission and actuated thereby for producing a visible indication of said effective stage, a separate visible indication of said non-effective stage, and an audible'signal at the moment of change from one stage to the other said stage; and a second single electrically operated signal unit 'connected with said transmission and actuated thereby for producing a separate visible indication of each of two gear positions and an audible vsignal at the moment oi the completion of the change from one gear position to the other gear position.;

FREDERIC B. HOWELL. 

